Catholic Note

Scripture clearly describes homosexual acts as abominations. The city of Sodom (Genesis 18-19) was not destroyed for its lack of hospitality to the angels of the Lord. It was destroyed for its homosexual depravity. The Church teaches that homosexual acts are "intrinsically disordered" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2357), yet the Church also calls us to embrace homosexuals with love and to encourage them to live lives of chastity. Regardless of the source of homosexual inclinations, which the Church says are "objectively disordered", the "urges" themselves are not sinful. For most people, these urges constitute trials which must be resisted like any other temptation. In short, the Church teaches us to hate the sin of homosexual acts, but to love the sinners who engage in those acts. See more about the Church's teachings in CCC 2357-2359.